A family court in New York has asserted jurisdiction in a child custody case involving the son of a Seneca father and a white mother.
A tribal judge had asserted jurisdiction even though Koby Hammer Parker, 4, is not legally Seneca and won't be eligible for tribal membership. Seneca culture is matrilineal.
A tribal appellate court is considering whether the tribe has jurisdiction. But Erie County Family Court Judge Kevin M. Carter asserted authority, saying he was troubled by the handling of the case.
The boy's father, Glenn A. Parker, had been given custody by the tribal court. At one point, he couldn't be located for over a month.
The county judge told Parker to get an attorney. He denied Parker's request to bar The Buffalo News from reporting on the case.
Get the Story:Tribal custody case back in Family Court (The Buffalo News 3/14) Relevant Links:
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